Black History Month is observed each February in the United States.

"Black History Week" was originally slated for the second week in February in 1926, to recognize the birthdays of two important figures in the fight to end slavery: Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, a presidential proclamation expanded the week to encompass the month of February, in recognition of the significant achievements made by the Black community in all aspects of American society.

Today, throughout the month of February, a variety of events and workshops are planned at the University of Iowa to recognize important contributions of Black Americans from a historical perspective.